Our Town

Letter 3   

Limited edition. Those two words connote more value, restricted supply, higher price. Often the product delivers eye turning appeal. To car buffs the words Auburn, Cord and Duisenberg would probably meet that standard. I know you know I am up early, but what the hell does that have to do with Turkey? Read on.

Our group is 21 is drawn from Washington DC, the original Dublin, New Jersey, southern and northern California, and Auburn, Indiana. For those of you who have not ventured south of Indianapolis, this sounds like a small village, which runs quite well at its own pace. Mayor Norman Yoder sets a conservative tone, focusing on when to open the public pool. At its peak Ephesus had 300,000 citizens. The one active dig site we explored there probably was home to more than the 11,000 who live in Auburn. True, neither St. Paul wrote letters to the Auburians, nor does it feature magnificent architecture which has stood the test of centuries. However what it does have is at least two noteworthy draws. One is public, the other much less so. I am drawing all my information from a 10 plus year’s resident and she has first hand information on both counts.

In 1904 the Auburn Car Company, an offshoot of the Eckhart Carriage Company, offered its first fancy cars. Subsequent mergers with the Cord Company (of Chicago) and Duisenberg, created a multiple car company which produced well into the 30s. Tiny Auburn was home of this venture. It now has a museum of these rare cars. Owners from all over the USA bring their cars to be part of the Labor Day parade, during which tops speeds of 18 MPH are achieved. If you are into cars, book early since the hotel capacity is modest. (That is unless you are willing to commute from the big city Ft. Wayne).

Twenty two years earlier, in 1882, P.T. Barnum purchased the elephant Jumbo, Thomas Edison flipped the switch on the first commercial electric power plant (which provided light to about a square mile in Manhattan), and Jesse James was shot dead. However that was also the year of the founding of the Ladies Literary Club of Auburn. Those brave and intelligent women had the foresight to draft their own bylaws and charter. In the ensuing 129 years, they have not wavered. Meetings start at 1PM, twice a month for 8 months of the year. (The other four months the members probably read Danielle Steele). A book is discussed and is part of an annual theme. Meetings stop exactly at 3PM, no matter who is talking. Then, exhausted, the members stop for tea and an “appropriate snack”. (I am guessing this is not pork rinds). Did I mention the club has only 19 members?  Like Augusta, if membership is sought, it is denied. Unfortunately, most good things have drawbacks. The dues are $15 per year. However, being intellectuals, the members don’t squander that money on themselves with expensive trinkets or food. The local library is usually the beneficiary, although sometimes they don’t grant the whole $585 at one time. Good thinking, you wouldn’t want them to get lazy.

My source is a fellow traveler who is celebrating her 80^th by inviting her daughter, granddaughter, and niece on the tour. She is game for everything despite ankles which make Yao Ming’s look solid. (Yes, her problems came from the same source; she was a forward on Wellesley’s basketball team in the early 1950s). Her stories have regaled our group (staying up all night with Jason Robards after a performance of The Iceman Cometh, watching Dylan Thomas consume the fifth of whiskey which was intended for the Shakespeare Club’s plum pudding at otherwise dry Wellesley, and on and on). Happy Birthday Lois, we can all only hope the world looks as interesting to us when we are 80.

Our journey Monday (after the relaxing evening in Assos) was heading south along the coast line. First stop was at a gas station for lunch. However, that is slightly misleading. It seems there was a very good restaurateur in Pergamon. He packed them in. However, a petty mayor, who may have had a rival restaurant, decided his crowds were “disruptive” to the city. The successful one was banished, just as in days of old. He moved his business to a huge gas station complex. His bill of fare was diverse and very enjoyable. Ground fava beans, eggplant with peppers, small pizzas, and once again a kebob over rice. What an excellent meal in an unexpected place. However, our string is intact. Desserts are just way too sweet. They make you cavities ache.

On the bus to Pergamon, an ancient Greek outpost. Acropolis type buildings way up a hill. Either the same mayor or someone of similar constitution decided recently the tour busses were bad for this gem. Thus the city designed and built a very fancy aerial tram. Visitors pay a small fee for this short trip. I am sure the mayor is laughing all the way to the bank.

The digs were hard for me to imagine. Citizens walking on the same paths and courtyards thousands of years ago. What really caught my interest was our guide’s question how long it took the ruler of this outpost to communicate with those in the Middle East, thousands of miles away. Most of our sun baked brains started thinking about some poor messenger running 15-30 miles a day without Nike waffle trainers. Not even close. The watch towers used to keep an eye out for any who may approach (Remember rape and pillage as well as fierce takeovers which make Wall Street’s antics look tame?) However, the other use of those series of towers was communication. Using the sun, mirrors, and a code word was passed over long distances in a matter of hours. However, I wondered if they had the same problem as whispering a secret around a circle.

The day’s adventure ended with our arrival at the brand new Swissotel in Izmir. What a spectacular property. However, it seems clear they have some early operation bugs to work out. Give it a year or two.

Izmir is one of the three largest cities in Turkey. It is newer than Istanbul. Traffic is chaotic.

I have yet to tell about Ephesus and related sites, but I must now go pack. We are off to the sea in our gullets. I hope I can post this before we leave. Probably not much for the next three days, as I anticipate internet access will be zip.

June 16